Moonlight in Vermont (album)
Encyclopedia
Moonlight in Vermont is a 1952 jazz
album by jazz guitar
ist Johnny Smith
, featuring tenor saxophonist
Stan Getz
. The album, titled for Smith's breakthrough hit song
, was the #1 Jazz Album for 1952. The album was popularly and critically well-received and has come to be regarded as an important album in Smith's discography, in the cool jazz
genre and in the evolution of jazz guitar
. Notable songs on the album, which reveal the influence of Smith's experiences with NBC
Studio Orchestra and as a multi-instrument musician, include the title track and the original composition "Jaguar". The title track, singled out for its virtuosity, was a highly influential rendition of a jazz standard
that secured Smith's position in the public eye.
Originally released on Roost Records
, the album was reissued in significantly expanded form by Roulette Records
in 1994, with more material including a previously unreleased version of "Jaguar".
's "sound in popular culture, elevating it from the dark dissonance of bebop jazz to the more consonant textures of a rapidly developing style called western swing." Guitar World
characterizes it as Smith's "classic album".
", a rendition of a John Blackburn
and Karl Suessdorf
standard. According to Getz biographer Dave Gelly, the song became an "unexpected hit", an unusual occurrence in jazz music, remaining on the charts for months. It was for this rendition that Smith earned the title "King of Cool Jazz Guitar." "Moonlight in Vermont" was Smith's breakthrough song, launching him into public awareness. It also increased the profile of Getz and resulted in his receiving a contract from renowned jazz producer Norman Granz
.
The song is noted for its guitar virtuosity. The New York Times
noted that Smith's arpeggio on the song "went from the lowest to the highest reaches of the guitar, all in one fluid movement." Echo and Twang characterized it as "complete with Smith's clear, reverb-tinged sound, his fleet-fingered but relaxed three-octave runs, and above all his lush, close-voiced, chord melody style." Guitar World described it as "a perfect illustration of [Smith's] mastery of the guitar's subtle inner-string voicings".
According to Guitar World, the rendition was influential, becoming "the template for every guitarist to come". Smith's performance of the song was a favorite of guitarist Eddie Cochran
and first turned Herbie Hancock
on to jazz. James Sallis
indicates that "[t]he mood of this ballad has never been more subtly captured."
Also of note on the track list is the song "Jaguar", described by Guitar World as Smith's "signature song". The book Masters of Guitar singles out the "up-tempo Smith original" as among the album's "many gems". Several other tracks were singled out in The Electric Guitar: A History of an American Icon, by A. J. Millard, who theorized that Smith's playing style was influenced by his history as a trumpet
er and his experiences in the NBC Studio Orchestra, which required extensive sight reading
. According to Millard, in "Moonlight in Vermont" and "Tenderly
", Smith's chord melodies resemble piano, while in "Sometimes I'm Happy" and "Tabú" the guitar becomes hornlike
at midrange, with the electric guitar
resembling a saxophone
overall.
label, catalog RST-2211, the album has been subsequently reissued in an expanded CD form in 1994 by Roulette Records
, who had acquired the Roost Collection in 1958. The expanded CD includes all of the tracks from the original album and incorporates most of the artist's recordings from that and the subsequent year, with the exception of three songs. One of the tracks, an alternative take on the Smith-penned "Jaguar", was previously unreleased.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
album by jazz guitar
Jazz guitar
The term jazz guitar may refer to either a type of guitar or to the variety of guitar playing styles used in the various genres which are commonly termed "jazz"...
ist Johnny Smith
Johnny Smith
Johnny Smith is an American cool jazz and mainstream jazz guitarist.-Early years:...
, featuring tenor saxophonist
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
Stan Getz
Stan Getz
Stanley Getz was an American jazz saxophone player. Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of his idol, Lester Young. Coming to prominence in the late 1940s with Woody Herman's big band, Getz is described by critic Scott...
. The album, titled for Smith's breakthrough hit song
Moonlight in Vermont (song)
"Moonlight in Vermont" is a popular song about the U.S. state of Vermont, written by John Blackburn and Karl Suessdorf and published in 1943. The lyrics are unusual in that they do not rhyme...
, was the #1 Jazz Album for 1952. The album was popularly and critically well-received and has come to be regarded as an important album in Smith's discography, in the cool jazz
Cool jazz
Cool is a style of modern jazz music that arose following the Second World War. It is characterized by its relaxed tempos and lighter tone, in contrast to the bebop style that preceded it...
genre and in the evolution of jazz guitar
Jazz guitar
The term jazz guitar may refer to either a type of guitar or to the variety of guitar playing styles used in the various genres which are commonly termed "jazz"...
. Notable songs on the album, which reveal the influence of Smith's experiences with NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
Studio Orchestra and as a multi-instrument musician, include the title track and the original composition "Jaguar". The title track, singled out for its virtuosity, was a highly influential rendition of a jazz standard
Jazz standard
Jazz standards are musical compositions which are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive list of jazz standards, and the list of songs deemed to be...
that secured Smith's position in the public eye.
Originally released on Roost Records
Roost Records
Roost Records was a record label established in 1949, primarily to record jazz, taking its secondary name from the New York club with which it was associated...
, the album was reissued in significantly expanded form by Roulette Records
Roulette Records
Roulette Records is an American record label, which was founded in late 1956, by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed as director...
in 1994, with more material including a previously unreleased version of "Jaguar".
Reception
Well-received, the album became the #1 Jazz Album for 1952, a position it attained, according to the retrospective book Gibson Electrics, as an "overnight best-seller capturing the essence of the cool jazz era." Critically regarded as one of the defining albums of cool jazz, it is listed in A Concise History of Electric Guitar among those few recordings which "firmly established" the electric guitarElectric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
's "sound in popular culture, elevating it from the dark dissonance of bebop jazz to the more consonant textures of a rapidly developing style called western swing." Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
characterizes it as Smith's "classic album".
Songs
Most notable among the album's songs is the title track, "Moonlight in VermontMoonlight in Vermont (song)
"Moonlight in Vermont" is a popular song about the U.S. state of Vermont, written by John Blackburn and Karl Suessdorf and published in 1943. The lyrics are unusual in that they do not rhyme...
", a rendition of a John Blackburn
John Blackburn
John Blackburn may refer to:*John Blackburn , Chaplain-General to the British Armed Forces 2000 to 2004*John Blackburn , British novelist*John Blackburn , British politician, MP for Newport 1806–1807...
and Karl Suessdorf
Karl Suessdorf
Karl Suessdorf was an American composer, best known for his collaboration with lyricist John Blackburn in composing the jazz standard, "Moonlight in Vermont", which was first recorded in 1943 by Billy Butterfield's Orchestra featuring Margaret Whiting...
standard. According to Getz biographer Dave Gelly, the song became an "unexpected hit", an unusual occurrence in jazz music, remaining on the charts for months. It was for this rendition that Smith earned the title "King of Cool Jazz Guitar." "Moonlight in Vermont" was Smith's breakthrough song, launching him into public awareness. It also increased the profile of Getz and resulted in his receiving a contract from renowned jazz producer Norman Granz
Norman Granz
Norman Granz was an American jazz music impresario and producer.Granz was a fundamental figure in American jazz, especially from about 1947 to 1960...
.
The song is noted for its guitar virtuosity. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
noted that Smith's arpeggio on the song "went from the lowest to the highest reaches of the guitar, all in one fluid movement." Echo and Twang characterized it as "complete with Smith's clear, reverb-tinged sound, his fleet-fingered but relaxed three-octave runs, and above all his lush, close-voiced, chord melody style." Guitar World described it as "a perfect illustration of [Smith's] mastery of the guitar's subtle inner-string voicings".
According to Guitar World, the rendition was influential, becoming "the template for every guitarist to come". Smith's performance of the song was a favorite of guitarist Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran , was an American rock and roll pioneer who in his brief career had a small but lasting influence on rock music through his guitar playing. Cochran's rockabilly songs, such as "C'mon Everybody", "Somethin' Else", and "Summertime Blues", captured teenage frustration and desire in the...
and first turned Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
on to jazz. James Sallis
James Sallis
James Sallis is an American crime writer, poet and musician, best known for his series of novels featuring the character Lew Griffin and set in New Orleans, and for his 2005 novel Drive, which was adapted into a 2011 film of the same name.He is the brother of philosopher John Sallis...
indicates that "[t]he mood of this ballad has never been more subtly captured."
Also of note on the track list is the song "Jaguar", described by Guitar World as Smith's "signature song". The book Masters of Guitar singles out the "up-tempo Smith original" as among the album's "many gems". Several other tracks were singled out in The Electric Guitar: A History of an American Icon, by A. J. Millard, who theorized that Smith's playing style was influenced by his history as a trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
er and his experiences in the NBC Studio Orchestra, which required extensive sight reading
Sight reading
Sight-reading is the reading and performing of a piece of written music, specifically when the performer has not seen it before. Sight-singing is often used to describe a singer who is sight-reading.-Sight-reading:...
. According to Millard, in "Moonlight in Vermont" and "Tenderly
Tenderly
"Tenderly" is a popular song published in 1946 with music by Walter Gross and lyrics by Jack Lawrence.Copyright 1946 by Edwin H. Morris & Company, Inc....
", Smith's chord melodies resemble piano, while in "Sometimes I'm Happy" and "Tabú" the guitar becomes hornlike
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
at midrange, with the electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
resembling a saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
overall.
History
Originally released on the Roost RecordsRoost Records
Roost Records was a record label established in 1949, primarily to record jazz, taking its secondary name from the New York club with which it was associated...
label, catalog RST-2211, the album has been subsequently reissued in an expanded CD form in 1994 by Roulette Records
Roulette Records
Roulette Records is an American record label, which was founded in late 1956, by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed as director...
, who had acquired the Roost Collection in 1958. The expanded CD includes all of the tracks from the original album and incorporates most of the artist's recordings from that and the subsequent year, with the exception of three songs. One of the tracks, an alternative take on the Smith-penned "Jaguar", was previously unreleased.
Track listing
* Tracks 5, 8, 9, 11, 17, 18 and 19 were added for the CD reissue.- "Where or WhenWhere or When"Where or When" is a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical Babes In Arms. It was first performed by Ray Heatherton and Mitzi Green. That same year, Hal Kemp recorded a popular version. It also appeared in the movie of the same title two years later...
" (Lorenz HartLorenz HartLorenz "Larry" Milton Hart was the lyricist half of the famed Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart...
, Richard RodgersRichard RodgersRichard Charles Rodgers was an American composer of music for more than 900 songs and for 43 Broadway musicals. He also composed music for films and television. He is best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II...
) – 2:24 - "Tabú" (Margarita Lecuona, Sidney Keith Russell, Al StillmanAl StillmanAl Stillman was an American lyricist.-Biography:Stillman was born in New York City. His name was originally Albert Silverman, but changed it to that of a well-known New York banking family. He was Jewish. He attended New York University. After graduation, he contributed to Franklin P...
) – 2:40 - "Moonlight in VermontMoonlight in Vermont (song)"Moonlight in Vermont" is a popular song about the U.S. state of Vermont, written by John Blackburn and Karl Suessdorf and published in 1943. The lyrics are unusual in that they do not rhyme...
" (John BlackburnJohn BlackburnJohn Blackburn may refer to:*John Blackburn , Chaplain-General to the British Armed Forces 2000 to 2004*John Blackburn , British novelist*John Blackburn , British politician, MP for Newport 1806–1807...
, Karl SuessdorfKarl SuessdorfKarl Suessdorf was an American composer, best known for his collaboration with lyricist John Blackburn in composing the jazz standard, "Moonlight in Vermont", which was first recorded in 1943 by Billy Butterfield's Orchestra featuring Margaret Whiting...
) – 3:12 - "Jaguar" (Johnny SmithJohnny SmithJohnny Smith is an American cool jazz and mainstream jazz guitarist.-Early years:...
) – 2:28 - "Jaguar"* (alternate take) (Smith) – 2:28
- "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With YouI Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You"I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You" is a 1932 song composed by Victor Young, with lyrics written by Ned Washington and Bing Crosby, recorded on October 14, 1932 by Bing Crosby in New York. Bing Crosby was accompanied by the ARC Brunswick Studio Orchestra with Lennie Hayton on piano. Two...
" (Bing CrosbyBing CrosbyHarry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, Ned WashingtonNed WashingtonNed Washington was an American lyricist.-Biography:Washington was nominated for eleven Academy Awards from 1940 to 1962...
, Victor YoungVictor YoungVictor Young was an American composer, arranger, violinist and conductor. He was born in Chicago.-Biography:...
) – 3:08 - "Vilia" (Franz LeharFranz LehárFranz Lehár was an Austrian-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas of which the most successful and best known is The Merry Widow .-Biography:...
) – 2:40 - "My Funny ValentineMy Funny Valentine"My Funny Valentine" is a show tune from the 1937 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart musical Babes in Arms in which it was introduced by former child star Mitzi Green...
"* (Hart, Rodgers) – 2:37 - "Sometimes I'm Happy"* (Irving CaesarIrving CaesarIrving Caesar was an American lyricist and theater composer who wrote lyrics for "Swanee," "Sometimes I'm Happy," "Crazy Rhythm," and "Tea for Two," one of the most frequently recorded tunes ever written. He was born and died in New York.Caesar, the son of Morris Keiser, a Romanian Jew, was...
, Clifford GreyClifford GreyClifford Grey was an English songwriter, actor, librettist and Olympic medalist. His birth name was Percival Davis, and he was also known as Clifford Gray, Tippi Gray, Tippi Grey, Tippy Gray and Tippy Grey.As a writer, Grey contributed prolifically to West End and Broadway shows, as librettist and...
, Vincent YoumansVincent YoumansVincent Youmans was an American popular composer and Broadway producer.- Life :Vincent Millie Youmans was born in New York City on September 27, 1898 and grew-up on Central Park West on the site where the Mayflower Hotel once stood. His father, a prosperous hat manufacturer, moved the family to...
,) – 2:18 - "Stars Fell on AlabamaStars Fell on Alabama"Stars Fell on Alabama" is the title of a 1934 jazz standard composed by Frank Perkins with lyrics by Mitchell Parish.- History :One of the earliest recordings was by the Guy Lombardo orchestra, with his brother Carmen doing a vocal. This version was recorded on August 27, 1934, and issued by Decca...
" (Mitchell ParishMitchell ParishMitchell Parish was an American lyricist.-Early life:Parish was born Michael Hyman Pashelinsky to a Jewish family in Lithuania. His family emigrated to the United States, arriving on February 3, 1901 on the SS Dresden when he was less than a year old...
, Frank PerkinsFrank PerkinsFrank Perkins was a British engineer, businessman, creator of the Perkins Diesel Engine, and founder of Perkins Engines Company Limited.-Background and early life:...
) – 3:03 - "Nice Work If You Can Get ItNice Work If You Can Get It (song)"Nice Work If You Can Get It" is a popular song.The music was written by George Gershwin, the lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It was one of nine songs George Gershwin wrote for the movie A Damsel in Distress, in which it was performed by Fred Astaire with backing vocals provided by The Stafford Sisters...
"* (George GershwinGeorge GershwinGeorge Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
, Ira GershwinIra GershwinIra Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
) – 2:24 - "TenderlyTenderly"Tenderly" is a popular song published in 1946 with music by Walter Gross and lyrics by Jack Lawrence.Copyright 1946 by Edwin H. Morris & Company, Inc....
" (Walter Lloyd Gross, Jack LawrenceJack LawrenceJack Lawrence was an American songwriter. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1975.- Biography :...
) – 3:24 - "Cavu" (Smith) – 2:12
- "I'll Be AroundI'll Be Around (1942 song)I'll Be Around" is a popular song written by Alec Wilder and published in 1942. The song has become a well-known standard, recorded by many artists....
" (Alec WilderAlec WilderAlec Wilder was an American composer.-Biography:...
) – 2:44 - "Yesterdays" (Otto HarbachOtto HarbachOtto Abels Harbach, born Otto Abels Hauerbach was an American lyricist and librettist of about 50 musical comedies...
, Jerome KernJerome KernJerome David Kern was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over 100 stage works, including such classics as "Ol' Man River", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man", "A...
) – 2:50 - "Cherokee" (Ray NobleRay Noble (musician)Ray Noble was an English bandleader, composer, arranger and actor. Noble studied music at the Royal Academy of Music and became leader of the HMV Records studio band in 1929. The band, known as the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, featured members of many of the top hotel orchestras of the day...
) – 2:46 - "What's New?What's New?"What's New?" is a 1939 popular song composed by Bob Haggart, with lyrics by Johnny Burke.It was originally an instrumental tune titled "I'm Free" by Haggart in 1938, when Haggart was a member of Bob Crosby and His Orchestra. The tune was written with a trumpet solo, meant to showcase the talents...
"* (Johnny BurkeJohnny BurkeJohnny Burke was a Newfoundland songwriter and musician. He was nicknamed the 'Bard of Prescott Street'. He wrote many popular songs that artists in the 1930s and 1940s released.Popular songs by Burke include:* The Night Paddy Murphy Died...
, Bob HaggartBob HaggartRobert Sherwood Haggart was a dixieland jazz double bass player, composer and arranger...
) – 3:04 - "I'll Remember AprilI'll Remember April (song)"I'll Remember April" is a popular song. The music for the song was written by Gene de Paul, and the lyrics were written by Patricia Johnston and Don Raye....
"* (Gene De PaulGene de PaulGene de Paul was an American pianist, composer and songwriter.-Biography:Born in New York City, he served in the United States Army during World War II....
, Patricia Johnston, Don RayeDon RayeDon Raye , born Donald MacRae Wilhoite, Jr., in Washington, D.C., was an American vaudevillian and songwriter, best known for his songs for the Andrews Sisters such as "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar", "The House of Blue Lights", "Just For A Thrill" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy."While known for...
) – 2:46 - "Lullaby of BirdlandLullaby of Birdland"Lullaby of Birdland" is a 1952 popular song with music by George Shearing and lyrics by George David Weiss under the pseudonym "B. Y. Forster" in order to circumvent the rule that ASCAP and BMI composers could not collaborate....
"* (George ShearingGeorge ShearingSir George Shearing, OBE was an Anglo-American jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for MGM Records and Capitol Records. The composer of over 300 titles, he had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s...
, David WeissDavid WeissDavid Weiss may refer to:* David Weiss , Swiss multi-media artist* David Weiss , author of Naked Came I* David C. Weiss, acting US Attorney for Delaware, succeeded Colm Connolly...
) – 3:03
Performance
- Bob CarterBob Carter (musician)Robert Kahakalau, better known as Bob Carter was an American jazz bassist and arranger.Carter learned bass and guitar from his father, a vaudeville performer of Hawaiian heritage. He played in local orchestras from 1937 to 1940, toured from 1940 to 1942 and worked with his own trio in Boston in 1944...
– bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2... - Morey FeldMorey FeldMorey Feld was an American jazz drummer born in Cleveland, Ohio, perhaps best-known for his work with the bands of Ben Pollack , Benny Goodman , Eddie Condon , Bobby Hackett and Billy Butterfield...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Arnold Fishkind – bass
- Stan GetzStan GetzStanley Getz was an American jazz saxophone player. Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of his idol, Lester Young. Coming to prominence in the late 1940s with Woody Herman's big band, Getz is described by critic Scott...
– tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble... - Sanford GoldSanford GoldSanford Gold was an American jazz pianist born in Cleveland, Ohio.Gold played locally in Cleveland and led regional bands before moving to New York City in the 1930s. There he collaborated with Babe Russin and Raymond Scott in 1935, and formed a trio with Dave Barbour in 1941...
– pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Don LamondDon LamondDon Lamond was an American jazz drummer.Lamond attended the Peabody Conservatory in Philadelphia in the early 1940s, and played with Sonny Dunham and Boyd Raeburn at the outset of his career...
– drums - Johnny SmithJohnny SmithJohnny Smith is an American cool jazz and mainstream jazz guitarist.-Early years:...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Eddie SafranskiEddie SafranskiEddie Safranski was an American jazz double bassist best known for his work with Stan Kenton. He had also worked with Charlie Barnet and Benny Goodman From 1946 to 1953 he won the Down Beat Readers' Poll for bassist.-References:...
– bass
Production
- Malcolm Addey – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
, tape transfer - Michael CuscunaMichael CuscunaMichael Cuscuna is an American jazz record producer and writer. He is a leading discographer of Blue Note Records....
– reissue producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Bob ParentBob ParentBob Parent was Canadian-born photographer who specialized in photographing the Jazz musicians of New York City. His phototgraphs often appeared in Life, Down Beat and Metronome magazines, in books and album covers. He also designed LP jackets for independent recording companies - Miles Davis'...
– design, photography - Teddy Reig – producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
- Patrick Roques – reissue design
- Pete WeldingPete WeldingPete Welding was an American blues historian, archivist and record producer.Born Peter J. Welding in Philadelphia, he worked as a journalist for Down Beat magazine and occasionally freelanced for other publications including Rolling Stone...
– liner notesLiner notesLiner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...